It's only ever been you
by Terfle
Summary: Berena fluff. Friends to lovers
1. Chapter 1

Serena turned around to see Bernie stagger towards her in exhaustion. She made clucky consolation noises as her co-lead looked tragically at her.

'Tired?'

Bernie emitted a whingey noise and flopped onto her shoulder. Serena laughed at the sight of the big macho army medic Bernie Wolfe slumped over and mumbling about what a long day it had been.

'Drink at Albie's?' She suggested.

More mumbling ensued. Bernie was warm and heavy on her shoulder. She chuckled and rested her hand on the tousled blonde head, stroking her silky hair and soothing her co-lead most delightfully.

'Berenice Wolfe, are you sulking on me?'

Bernie looked up with her Labrador eyes.

'I'm just really fucking tired.'

'Gotcha. Maybe just home then.'

They didn't move for a while. They did realise how ridiculous it looked, Bernie's arm flung around her waist and Serena petting her hair but it had been a long day. Bernie felt fuzzy all over. She wanted to snuggle.

'Home, missy. Now.'

She caught hold of Bernie as she pigeon walked to her car.

'Don't even think about it.'

Bernie looked at her pathetically.

'How will I get home?'

Serena sighed, she could never resist those puppy dog eyes.

'Get in my car, I'll drop you off home.'

Home was a dismal cold flat that Bernie had never felt at home in. Three years was not long enough to do that. She sat in the car, frozen and miserable. Serena turned to look at her, picking up on the chill in the car as soon as they rounded the corner.

'Talk to me.'

'I don't want to go home.'

'Why? Serena's voice was low and comforting.

Bernie admitted how lonely she felt there. How sometimes the shadows seemed threatening and it made her morbid. She wouldn't have told this to anyone. But when she risked a glance, she could have cried at the understanding on her friend's face. A tear run down her cheek and Bernie was never more grateful when Serena leaned over and wiped it away with the back of a gentle finger.

'Don't you dare keep it to yourself. I'm not letting you feel miserable and lonely. Go and grab your things, you're coming back to mine.'

Bernie's shy smile made her heart break for some reason.

'Mine' turned out to be a warm friendly leafy detached, one that made Bernie want to curl up on the comfortable sofa and purr with contentment. The kind of home she used to have when the kids were little. She'd not had it since. It was shepherds pie night and she ate two portions.

'Sometimes Bernie, you eat like an animal' Serena observed affectionately, nursing a glass of Shiraz, watching her friend shovel down a helping of apple crumble.

'Sorry.' She slowed down.

'At least you don't talk when you're eating. Edward drove me mad with that.'

Bernie listened to everything Serena said about her feckless ex-husband. He was a dick. He'd never deserved her.

One episode of _the world's strongest man_ down and Serena hustled her off to bed.

'Enough is enough, go to sleep' she said firmly.

Bernie bid her a grateful goodnight and Serena settled down with a book, content that Bernie was much happier than she had been in a while. She'd enjoyed looking after her. Someone ought to. Sometimes she was concerned about the woman. A bit of TLC wouldn't go amiss especially after all of those pastries and coffees Bernie so generously provided every morning. A knock on the door roused her. Bernie wandered in like a lost puppy. Those pale pink cotton pyjamas were adorable.

'Everything alright?'

Bernie looked embarrassed.

'Sorry. Erm…'

Serena smiled and waited.

'Do you want to sit and chat?'

'It's too lonely in my room' she blurted out.

Serena was surprised. Elinor's room wasn't unfriendly. Patting the other aside of the bed, she invited Bernie to stay for a bit.

'Come and snuggle.'

A tentative smile lit up Bernie's face and Serena's heart beat a little faster. Bernie jumped on the bed and got cosy in the duvet. It was wonderful to be so close to her favourite person. Before long she fell asleep basking in the warmth of her glow. It was the best night's sleep she'd had in ages. She woke up to find herself tucked in and burrowed further into the duvet with a sigh. She needed one of these memory foam mattresses at home. Her back was feeling so much better.

Hearing a chuckle, she opened her eyes to see a rumple headed surgeon smile at her, a glimpse of sunlight through the rain.

'Morning. Do I have to get up?'

'Not yet. You slept well?'

'Never better. This is the most comfortable bed I've ever met.' Bernie looked up at her shyly. 'Thank you. I feel so much better.'

Serena reached out and smoothed her hair back. Bernie couldn't remember the last time someone had done that. Never, in her adult life. A shock of tingles spread through her spine at the unaccustomed contact.

'You can stay here whenever you need to.'

Bernie chanced it.

'And if I just want to?'

Serena thought she was utterly adorable, peeking out from the duvet hopefully.

'Whenever you want to.' She kept a hand on her hair, stroking tenderly and Bernie thought she'd die of happiness.

A knock on the door and Jason popped his head round.

'Are you getting up this morning? It's 7.13 am.'

'Ok Jason, we're just getting up.'

'Hello Bernie. Why are you in auntie Serena's bed?'

Bernie was mortified. Serena jumped in with an explanation.

'Because she was so tired she fell asleep here.'

That sounded plausible. Bernie felt less silly climbing into Serena's bed now.

Jason nodded in comprehension. He left them to get up in their own time.


	2. Chapter 2

What had she done? Just a simple kiss and everything had turned upside down. Bernie now felt comfortable coming round and sleeping over and she'd ruined it. This time they'd snuggled up in her bed for an extra 10 minutes, content and happy until Serena wrecked it by stroking back her hair and softly kissing her forehead, not even realising she'd done it. Bernie looked up at her in wonder and she felt a rush of affection for her. But a minute later she felt stupid.

'I'm sorry, I don't know why I did that.'

Bernie sat up languidly, not sharing in her panic.

'I didn't mind.'

'That was strange, even for me' Serena joked tensely.

'I liked it.'

Serena didn't know what to say.

'I wouldn't mind if you did that more often.'

Now Serena really didn't know what to say. Bernie didn't know what she was saying but she meant it. She wanted to feel those intensely warm tingles run through her veins every time Serena touched her. Serena was looking at her as if she'd seen something she'd never seen before in her. She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Jason about the time. Again.


	3. Chapter 3

'Look, about what happened between us…'

Bernie couldn't believe what she was hearing. Serena Campbell was sitting opposite her confessing her desire to get more intimate. That completely sober kiss on the forehead was all it took, apparently. They'd danced awkwardly around it for a week, both knowing how much it was on each other's minds.

For a minute she thought it was going to go along the lines of 'it was a mistake and please never come round to my house again.' That would have made Bernie miserable beyond compare. But Serena finished with 'I don't think it was a one off. And I don't think I want it to be.'

Bernie could only stare at her like an idiot while hopeful eyes across the way kept searching for common ground.

'If you didn't feel like we had a connection, I'll leave it there and we can just…draw a veil over it.'

'No! I'm sorry, I just didn't know what to say.'

'I know it's unexpected and it might not be something you want to hear.'

Bernie squeaked in fear. It was now or never.

'You're telling me something I've been dying to hear for weeks. Months. I just didn't expect you to actually say it.'

'Months?' Serena blinked in confusion.

'Years' Bernie clarified.

Where had this come from? They hadn't even kissed. Not really. But there was something there, she was sure of it. She'd only just realised. The signs had been there for a long time and Bernie had been sure of it way before she had.

'I couldn't find a way to tell you. I wasn't actually going to tell you.'

'Why not?'

'You're my best friend. I couldn't lose you.'

Serena laughed. 'Why did you think you were going to lose me?'

She really didn't see?

'You think I can catch your attention the way all of those men can? I wouldn't have stood a chance.'

Serena had no idea she had felt like this.

'Bernie, men are here and there but I would never think of letting you go for any of them. You're worth so much more than that. How do you think I would do that to you? If I had the choice, I'd spent the rest of my life with you.'

Now that the words were out, she knew it to be true. Bernie looked like she was about to faint.

'And I do have a choice. I've never been more than just friends with a woman before.'

Bernie found her voice again. She sounded hesitant but hopeful.

'Would you? I mean, would you like to be?'

The world stood still as she waited for her answer.

'For you, I think I'd like to be.'

Bernie crept her fingers over and nudged Serena's hand. After slight hesitation, with that look in her eye that Bernie knew meant she had finally decided, Serena curled her fingers round and leaned forward.

'I choose you.'


End file.
